Narrative:
Flight 4-2 departed Fort Lauderdale at 00:55. The destination was Teterboro, New Jersey, with intermediate stops at Charleston. South Carolina, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. The flight was routine with a landing at Raleigh-Durham at 05:24. Because of worsening weather at the destination the crew filed a flight plan to New York-Idlewild. The flight departed at 06:08. Near Idlewild the crew were told to hold over Scotland at 3,500 feet, and to expect approach clearance at 08:28. Idlewild weather was as follows: clouds at 500 feet broken, 1800 feet overcast, visibility 1 1/2 miles in heavy rain. When the approach controller first saw the flight on the airport surveillance radar (ASR) it was approaching Scotland. He asked the flight if it could make a straight-in approach from its present position and the flight replied affirmatively. It was then cleared for a straight-in approach, instructed to descend immediately, and to report passing through 2,500 feet. The flight acknowledged and subsequently reported leaving 2,500 feet, and then leaving 2,000 feet. The controller then cleared the flight to continue descent, to advise upon reaching 1,500 feet, and then cleared it to "pass over runway 04 and make left turn into runway 13 left."
The local controller then took over control of the flight and advised it to "bear left and make a right turn into runway 13L, that's the big runway on the north side of the airport, and call base leg coming up on the Federal Building. Go ahead and you'll probably be west of the Federal Building when you call." This was acknowledged by the flight. From an altitude of 500 feet the crew decided to execute a missed approach due to limited forward visibility. The tower gave immediate instruction to turn right and proceed to Long Beach intersection at 1,500 feet altitude. This transmission was acknowledged. Power was applied but then the no. 2 engine failed. In turbulent air conditions the pilot lost control of the plane. It descended rapidly in a sharply nose-down right slip taking on aspects of a spin, and crashed at the intersection of 169th Street and 89th Avenue, Jamaica, New York, about 4.4 miles north of the Idlewild control tower.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of control following sudden engine failure caused by a deteriorated fuel feed valve diaphragm during an attempted missed approach."
» CAB File No. 1-0021
» ICAO Circular 38-AN/33 (55-57)
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 5 April 1952 |
| Time: | 08:27 |
| Type: |  Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando |
| Operating for: | US Airlines |
| Leased from: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | N1911M |
| MSN: | 22464 |
| First flight: | 1945 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4293 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-75 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Ground casualties: | Fatalities: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 7 km (4.4 mls) N of New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Maneuvering (MNV) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Raleigh/Durham Airport, NC (RDU/KRDU), United States of America |
| New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY (IDL/KIDL), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 4-2 |
Flight 4-2 departed Fort Lauderdale at 00:55. The destination was Teterboro, New Jersey, with intermediate stops at Charleston. South Carolina, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. The flight was routine with a landing at Raleigh-Durham at 05:24. Because of worsening weather at the destination the crew filed a flight plan to New York-Idlewild. The flight departed at 06:08. Near Idlewild the crew were told to hold over Scotland at 3,500 feet, and to expect approach clearance at 08:28. Idlewild weather was as follows: clouds at 500 feet broken, 1800 feet overcast, visibility 1 1/2 miles in heavy rain. When the approach controller first saw the flight on the airport surveillance radar (ASR) it was approaching Scotland. He asked the flight if it could make a straight-in approach from its present position and the flight replied affirmatively. It was then cleared for a straight-in approach, instructed to descend immediately, and to report passing through 2,500 feet. The flight acknowledged and subsequently reported leaving 2,500 feet, and then leaving 2,000 feet. The controller then cleared the flight to continue descent, to advise upon reaching 1,500 feet, and then cleared it to "pass over runway 04 and make left turn into runway 13 left."
The local controller then took over control of the flight and advised it to "bear left and make a right turn into runway 13L, that's the big runway on the north side of the airport, and call base leg coming up on the Federal Building. Go ahead and you'll probably be west of the Federal Building when you call." This was acknowledged by the flight. From an altitude of 500 feet the crew decided to execute a missed approach due to limited forward visibility. The tower gave immediate instruction to turn right and proceed to Long Beach intersection at 1,500 feet altitude. This transmission was acknowledged. Power was applied but then the no. 2 engine failed. In turbulent air conditions the pilot lost control of the plane. It descended rapidly in a sharply nose-down right slip taking on aspects of a spin, and crashed at the intersection of 169th Street and 89th Avenue, Jamaica, New York, about 4.4 miles north of the Idlewild control tower.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of control following sudden engine failure caused by a deteriorated fuel feed valve diaphragm during an attempted missed approach."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
» Air Britain Casualty compendium (pt. 54)» CAB File No. 1-0021
» ICAO Circular 38-AN/33 (55-57)
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Raleigh/Durham Airport, NC to New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY as the crow flies is 682 km (426 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
Distance from Raleigh/Durham Airport, NC to New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY as the crow flies is 682 km (426 miles).
Accident location: Exact; deduced from official accident report.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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